It is difficult to pick up large quantities of dirt, leaves, debris, trash, hay and other loose items with a single rake, scoop or shovel. For example, when leaves are raked into a pile, one must hold leaves on the rake with one hand, while holding the handle of the rake with the other hand, to put the leaves into a container for disposal. An improvement is achieved by using two rakes, but with only one hand on each rake handle it is difficult to control the rakes, and only a small amount of leaves can be picked up and carried in this manner. This problem has been addressed by a number of inventions that employ two opposing rakes that are mechanically attached to each other, but each of these inventions has shortcomings.
Dirksen, 4,991,386, Fiorentino, 4,037,397 and Cox, 3,688,484 are examples of devices comprising two rakes that are pivotably connected to work together as tongs for picking up accumulations of leaves or debris. Jones, 6,120,073 also pivotably connects two rakes, but adds a third element, a handle. All of these devices connect the two rakes with a permanent, non-adjustable pivot joint, so the rakes cannot be separated and used individually for raking materials together.
Sipe, 4,018,038, Hand Rake with Grasping Tines claims a device that employs two opposing sets of tines that are brought together to pick up leaves, etc. by operating a lever on the handle. This device is not suitable for use as a rake, is expensive and complicated and has a fixed pivot point.
Laughlin, 5,564,266, Grass Rake Tongs, claims a device in which two rake handles are joined by a pivot to form a pair of tongs, with which large quantities of leaves can be collected by placing one hand at the top of each handle and mechanically bringing the heads of the rakes (the assembly of tines) together. This has the disadvantage of being a large, rigid, inflexible apparatus that does not conform easily to uneven surfaces. By rotating the handles so that the tines of each rake are at opposite ends of the assembly, one head can be used for raking leaves into a pile, but both handles must be held firmly to accomplish this and the weight of the unused head is burdensome. The rakes cannot be separated and used independently, and the pivot point cannot be changed to accomplish different tasks.
Frankhauser, 5,765,351, Detachable garden rake pick-up attachment, cites many attempts to adapt garden rakes for picking up materials by permanently modifying the rakes with expensive pick-up attachments, and claims an attachment that can be added to, and removed from, a standard garden rake. The device of Frankenhauser comprises a set of tines that can be brought into opposition with the standard rake tines by operating a lever. The Frankhauser device is designed for use only with a garden rake of a specific design, is relatively complicated, expensive and not easily attached or removed.
From the foregoing it is obvious that a number of inventors have attempted to solve the problem of combining a rake and pick-up device. However, garden rake manufacturers have not found a device that does so in a manner that is convenient and economical enough to be marketable for general use.